Books I Want to Focus On:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; Vanity and Vexation: a novel of Pride and Prejudice {original UK title: Lions and Liquorice} by Kate Fenton; Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor {Being a Jane Austen mystery} by Stephanie Barron; Pride and Prescience or A Truth Universally Acknowledged by Carrie Bebris; Mr. Darcy’s Little Sister by C. Allyn Pierson; Two Shall Become One: Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Pride and Prejudice Continues by Sharon Lathan; The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy by Maya Slater; The Independance of Miss Mary Bennett by Colleen McCullough; Pemberley by the Sea {alternative title: The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice} and Mr. Darcy’s Obsesssion by Abigail Reynolds; Pride, Prejudice, and Jasmin Field by Melissa Nathan; Dancing with Mr. Darcy: stories inspired by Jane Austen and Chawton House {anthology} by Sarah Waters; Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (inspired by); Persuasion by Jane Austen; The Family Fortune by Laurie Horowitz (re-telling of Persuasion); and Sanditon and Other Stories by Jane Austen.

An extra addition: I was Jane Austen’s Best Friend by Cora Harrison*

{*} a random find whilst at the library!

Reasons I Want to Take on the Challenge:

Even before I first picked up “Pride and Prejudice”, I instinctively knew that I would be a life-long appreciator of Jane Austen! There was a drawing towards her works, her life, and her styling of writing that I cannot quite pin-point yet altogether know was threaded throughout my growing years and adulthood. I still remember for one of my birthdays {in my twenties} I purchased the “Jane Austen Library” out of one of the mail-order book clubs I was a member of at the time! I cannot recall directly if it was the Book-of-the-Month club OR another one, yet the books were hardback and had the most beautiful cover art I had then come across attributed to her collective works!

Prior to this, my Mum found the “Sense and Sensibility” screenplay {in hardback} which was directed by Emma Thompson. She also gave me a copy of the novel, in order to read and cross reference both texts. I remember beginning both quite eagerly, but I never properly became engaged into either! Around the time of the Keira Knightley adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice”, I felt that perhaps the stars were aligning and I could once again dig my heels into a book that had left me museful for most of my life! Especially with all the references being made in motion pictures {ie: “You’ve Got Mail”} making me ever the more curious,… I finally picked up a pocket hardback edition at Barnes & Noble! My greatest Austen moment thus far was being able to soak up the narrative during the opening week of the film and seeing it before it left the theaters! Quite chuffed I pulled that off, I must say!

When a friend of mine suggested reading Persuasion together, I thought that that would be a swell idea, except to say, my heart was not into it at the time, and this is one book that I simply added to my shelf! Which is why I have included as part of my August readings!

As homage to my quest to understand Jane Austen, and to make a nodding at the first book that enticed me to her works, I decided to focus on “Pride and Prejudice” and the books that were spun into life out of respect of her canon and out of the inspirations that the story led other authors to create.

Austen As I Read Her:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

My Favourite Resources for Jane Austen:

• Jane Austen Knits – despite being aware of this lovely zine which drops once or twice a year into our lives, I have not yet had the proper chance to collect the volumes! Each visit I make to Barnes & Noble, I find myself properly flushed with excitement over what the issue will contain! One day!
• Austenprose –
• ? perhaps I shall find new ones ?

 The books I had intended to read during this reading challenge have been re-directed and absorbed into: Classics Re-Told: 19th Century & Gothic Classics. Please re-direct your attention to the new post all about the details of this challenge, by which, I have the opportunity to carry-on with my goals as I had originally conceived them! My first post for Austen in August serves a dual-purpose, as it will also mark the first contribution piece for Classics Re-told! Therein I discuss the wrap-up for Austen in August as well.

{SOURCE:  August in August badge created by Jorie in Canva. Photo credit: Carli Jean (Public Domain : Unsplash).}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2013.